A timely exploration into the complex links between the U.S. and China, Vanessa Hope’s documentary feature debut evokes the personal and the international with its accent on diplomacy, activism and individual experience. Interspersed with remarks from journalists and experts, ALL EYES AND EARS interweaves the stories of U.S. Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman, his adopted Chinese daughter, Gracie Mei, and blind legal advocate Chen Guangcheng as they find purpose, identity and resolve amid the two nations’ evolving relationship.

The director Vanessa Hope will be on hand to introduce the film and answer any questions from the audience.

Vanessa Hope | Writer/Director/Producer
Vanessa began her film career in China while teaching a graduate course on “Law and Society” at People's University on a grant from the Ford Foundation and completing her PhD at Columbia University. Fluent in Chinese, she’s produced multiple films in China: Wang Quanan’s “The Story Of Ermei” (Berlin Film Festival, 2004); Chantal Akerman’s “Tombee De Nuit Sur Shanghai” part of an omnibus of films, “The State Of The World” (Berlin Film Festival, 2007); and her own short films, “China In Three Words” (Palm Springs, Doc NYC 2013); and “China Connection: Jerry” (Palm Springs, Doc NYC 2014). She directed and produced a web series for NYU’s US- Asia Law Institute called “LAW, LIFE & ASIA.” Her U.S. producing credits include Zeina Durra’s fiction feature, “The Imperialists Are Still Alive!” (Sundance Film Festival, 2010); Joel Schumacher’s “Twelve” based on the eponymous novel (Sundance Film Festival, 2010); and the Academy Award shortlisted feature documentary, “William Kunstler: Disturbing The Universe” by Sarah and Emily Kunstler (Sundance Film Festival, 2009). Civil rights are a common theme of her films including her feature documentary directorial debut, “All Eyes And Ears,” that premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2015 and was characterized as, “a deeply human examination of historical events, ideologies, and policies that have come to define U.S–China relations.” “All Eyes and Ears" is scheduled for release in December 2016. Vanessa was a fellow at the San Francisco Film Society’s Film House. This fall, she received a grant from the Compton Foundation as part of their “Women, Peace, Security” initiative to pursue a follow-up film to the China documentary focused on Taiwan called, “All Hearts and Minds.” Prior to her film career, Vanessa worked on foreign policy issues at the Council on Foreign Relations with Senior Fellow and Director of Asia Studies, Elizabeth Economy. She also worked at the National Committee on US-China Relations. She lived in Taipei, Taiwan on a Stanford University program from 1995-1996, witnessing and filming the island’s first presidential elections. She received her B.A. from the University of Chicago in Anthropology and East Asian Studies.